Shadows
by TheNobodyofaSOLDIER
Summary: [Blind!Daddy!Levi x Mommy!Reader] - Preserving the memories of someone you love becomes more vital if their sight has diminished.


"Nn, get off me, woman."

With nothing more than a whimper for reply, you rolled over on your side, relieving your husband's squished arm. Flecks of her hair still draped over the tingling skin, but he honestly didn't mind your closeness. He knew dawn approached from the twittering of the birds in the rustling trees and his own body clock. For a majority of his young adult life, he awoke twice regularly each night: once, at one o'clock, the second, just at daybreak, when the sun turned the bridge of the horizon a soft pink, purple and deep blue. Sometimes, a nightmare triggered his waking. Other times, it was his hyperawareness.

His face was still close to yours. Your slow, relaxed breaths warmed his chilled face. The tips of your fingers lightly brush against his cheek as you curled next to him. Slowly, he raised his index and followed the outline of your face, then your neck, your shoulders, your arms. Levi sometimes liked to imagine what you might have looked like before you met; soft, round, a dainty little thing that a breath might have shriveled you. Ever since you joined the Scouting Legion, those feminine touches had been replaced with a harsher leanness and a sharp muscularity, a body scarred, bruised and roughed up from battles against Titans and other humans, a body used to discomfort such as the constant rubbing of the leather straps, leaving those permanent impressions into your skin. Not that it mattered to him anyway. You were his. He loved those imprints. They were a symbol of your journey from a lowly trainee to a Squad leader.

With the tip of his index, he traced over the wrinkled skin along your arm; he remembered you received this from the long branches of a tree in an attempt to escape the grasps of an eleven meter. You survived, so this little scar was the far better option.

It broke his heart that he could no longer take in your form with his eyes. If he wanted to see you, he was forced to utilize his other senses-touch, taste, audial perception and smell. It had only been a week since his sight faded away from a ghastly injury. He may be Humanity's Strongest soldier but that never meant he was perfect. If rescuing you meant sacrificing his ability to see, then it was worth it.

Too bad the last thing he'd ever see was the fist of a Titan colliding into his skull.

This was the first night home. He stayed in the infirmary that entire week, recovering from the wounds to his head and the rest of his body. Any normal soldier would have died from this collision. But, there was a reason he was dubbed Humanity's Strongest. The aches and pains were nothing compared to the sadness he felt losing the ability to see his friends. He didn't realize how much he depended on sight to distinguish others. He recognized Hanji's energetic tone, Erwin's low, commanding voice, but he still found it troublesome distinguishing the voices of the younger cadets, eve Eren Jaeger.

They all became faceless shadows in an endless darkness.

You explained to your children the rather, and you hesitated to use this word, delicate condition their father was in. Of course, the idea of their father in any kind of weakened state was nearly impossible for them to fathom. But, Mommy would never lie about such a grave matter. You brought him home late, while they slumbered. You decided to bring them in quietly and supervise them. You predicted the coming excitement of finally seeing Daddy home safe and sound, and it was up to you to restrain their cries of joy and urges to lunge at him.

Levi heard your quiet moans. Then, part of your warmth left him as you sat up to stretch your stiff limbs. His now clouded eyes gazed into your general line of sight. You turned to meet him. With a benevolent smile, you bent down and kissed his forehead, brushing your thumb along his brow. Tentatively, he reached up and cupped your face. Hovering a little closer, you cradled his head with the crook of your elbow, continuing your soft touches along his scratched face. A thin, grey film dusted over his pupils, a response to the trauma these sensitive organs endured. But, despite this closed off appearance, you saw right through them. You could still see the melancholy, the suffering, the slight instability, the profound love beyond anyone's understanding locked behind them. Even if he became nothing more than another damaged soldier in the eyes of others, to you, he was still your guardian angel. Maybe more of a thuggish midget bastard, as you jokingly called him from time to time, but yours all the same. He could come to you missing every limb, deaf, mute, deformed in unimaginable ways and you'd take him in. He was still beautiful in your eyes.

"Morning" you murmured, sucking his top lip into your mouth.

He groaned irritably in reply, earning a throaty chuckle from you.

"The kids will be wanting to see you," you pushed an ebony lock behind his ear.

He paused a moment. "I know."

Your heart stung at the hint of sadness in his face. "Can I bring them in?"

Again, a moment of silence before his answer:

"Yes, go ahead."

The bed creaked lightly as you rose from your spot. It must have been close to morning, and the kids were known to wake at the ungodly hours of the morning. Your heat still lingered a bit on his skin even after your departure. His mind drifted towards Leon, Faith and Matthias, wondering what their response would be to his condition. Would they cry? Stare in horror? Ask a million questions? With a click of his tongue, he pushed his pillows into the headboard to sit himself up. He listened, listened to the singing of the birds, the breeze bending nearby tree branches against the window pane. He perceived your muffled voice through the walls, calmly coaxing the children.

How would he respond to his children's entrance? In the state he was in, they were nothing but shadows, voices, a warm body. He'd never see Faith's long, ebony tresses cascading down her back, Leon's ponderous, pale eyes or Matthias's constant blanket clutching and thumb sucking. He'd never again see the three wrestling in the courtyard, stealing each other's food or sneaking about Headquarters. Faith's sketches, Matthias's little block towers, Leon quietly rocking in his father's chair, reading at the fireplace. These little delights, which seemed so meaningless to most, meant the world to him-he would only be able to watch them in his mind's eye, watch them grow and mature, play and cry, fight and love.

His heart twisted uncomfortably behind his ribs.

The creak of the door and the pattering of light footsteps demolished his train of thought. Arms folded over his chest, he stared into the impending darkness, waiting for anything.

"Be careful," you whispered. "He's still really sore."

As the uncertain footsteps grew closer and closer to his bed, Levi found himself wanting an enthusiastic cry, a shrill, a cheer, anything.

Instead, he received awkward silence.

Perplexed, he trio observed him. They noticed the odd, whitish coating over his eyes. They spotted the bandages covering his cuts. They could barely take in the sight of their hero in such a vulnerable state.

Finally, he pursed his lips and clicked his tongue disapprovingly:

"You little shitheads, I've been gone a week, and you don't even give me a hug?"

Ah, there was the father they all knew and loved.

Peels of giggles erupted from them as they broke every boundary you just set for them, climbing into the bed and latching themselves to their Daddy, like ticks on a dog. Concealing the rupturing joy in his heart, Levi scoffed.

"You're all worthless brats, I hope you know that," he said as each of them claimed a spot connected to him. "No respect for your mother's rules."

"Yeah, we know," Matthias giggled, plopping his head in his lap.

"But, you still love us," Faith teased, resting her chin on his shoulder while Leon took the other.

"Tch, yeah, and it's a damn pain in the ass," contradicting his words, he wrapped his arms around each little body and pressed them closer to his side.

He could hear you chuckle at the doorway.

"You're still a shitty brat too," Levi arched an eyebrow. "I don't know why you're laughing." The kids snickered.

"Oo, Mommy's in trouble!"

"Daddy's gonna get you later, Mommy!"

Your face ached from the amount of grinning. "Oh, dear! I'm sooooo scared."

"Stop mocking me, and get your useless ass over here," he pointed in your direction-well, basically.

"Yes, Captain Asshole," you replied with a wink. Again, the kids snickered. You crawled onto the bed, wrapping your arms around Matthias and laying your head on Levi's stomach.

"Daddy, are your eyes broken?" your youngest asked, innocently. Still, you cringed at the question.

Closing his lids and sighing deeply, he replied,

"Yes, they're broken."

"So," Faith's brows furrowed with concern. "you can't see us anymore."

He shook his head. "No, I can't."

Tiny fingers brushed over his eyelids. "Does it hurt?" it was Leon's.

"Only a little," he laughed sadly to himself and lowered his head. "Just that I can't see you three or Mommy."

He felt another little hand pat the top of his head. Sensing the wetness on one finger, he guessed it was Matthias, that little thumb-sucker.

"Don't worry, Daddy!" he chirped. "We'll help you see!"

You widened your eyes, and so did Levi.

"Yeah! We can tell you where things are and what things look like-!"

"We can hold your hand around places when you need it-!"

"Should he get a cane?"

"No! A cane is for really old people!"

"No, no! Not that kind of cane!"

While they intensely argued over ways to assist their blinded father, small tears rolled out of the corner of your eye. This response was better than you could even imagine. You glanced up at Levi as a crooked smile etched across his thin, dry lips. His face seemed perfectly relaxed.

Despite this darkness plaguing his eyes now, this warmth immersing him in nothing but love, these precious (though sometimes obnoxious) voices ringing in his ears, the constant tugging and touching brought his little family perfectly in his vision. He saw you and your sweet smile, Matthias clutching his blanket, arguing with his thumb in his mouth, and Faith and Leon sandwiching him and talking over him. These were the people he loved dearest, his flesh and blood.

They were no longer shadows.


End file.
